Multi-purpose pressure sensitive font lettering system

ABSTRACT

A multi-purpose pressure sensitive font lettering system, which includes an indexed symbol storage album containing all the letters, numbers, symbols and apparatus required for making signs and preparing copy for art work and the like.

Unitefi States Leinbe'rg 1451 Mar. 19, 1974 [541 MULTl-PURPOSE PRESSURESENSITIVE 3,626,616 12/1971 Seme 40/63 R F T LET G Y 2,521,792 9/1950Hollander 40/104.l9 X 3,130,984 4/1964 Fenberg 1 35/71 X Inventor: JackLemberg, 3442 N. 29 h Av -,1 2,568,131 9/1951 Sega] 402/70 Phoenix,Ariz. 85017 803.709 11/1905 Perrine.... 283/1 R v 456,717 7/1891Brodix..... 283/1 R [22] F1led= 1, 1972 3421,239 1/1969 Smith 40/63 R[21] Appl. No.: 222,588

' Primary Examiner Robert W. Michell 1 Assistant ExaminerJ. H. Wolff[52] us CL igf gg4 g i B $7 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Warren F. B.Lindsley [51] Int. Cl. G09f 3/00 [58] Field of Search 35/71; 40/63 124,19.5, [57] ABSTRACT 25 A; 283/1 R A multl-purpose pressure sensmve fontlettering system, which includes an indexed symbol storage album [56]References Cited containing all the letters, numbers, symbols and appa-1 ratus required for making signs and preparing copy for UNITED STATESPATENTS art Work and the like 3.338.395 8/1967 Silverstein 40/125 A X2,970,043 1/1961 Serafin 283/1 R 1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEUMM! 1 9 I974 SHEET 1 0F 2 MULTLPURPOSE PRESSURE SENSITIVE FONT LETTERINGSYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to animproved system and apparatus for making signs, preparing copy and thelike.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention is particularly directed to alettering system which includes -a font of pressure sensitive, opaqueplastic letters and symbols, which may be quickly and easily removedfrom their temporary storage positions in the indexed pages of a looseleaf album, and utilized for making permanent signs, or returned totheir respective pages of the album, after being utilized for temporarycopy preparation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Many systems and the necessary supportingapparatus for making signs and preparing copy for a multitude ofpurposes have been devised and utilized in the past, including theletter-press and off-set printing processes. Most of these methods orsystems are slow and expensive to implement requiring the use ofspecialized equipment and highly trained, skilled personel, such as typesetters, photographers, artists and others, to produce simple signs orprepare copy for reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a newand improved multi-purpose font lettering system has been provided,which includes all the necessary components of the system in a singleindexed album or kit for the purpose of making signs or preparing copyinexpensively by unskilled personnel.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a simplifiedmethod or system for making signs and preparing copy by unskilledworkers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedstorage album including a complete font of letters, numbers, symbols,tools and other supporting materials necessaryin anovel arrangement forimmedi ate use. I

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of making aspecially constructed sign or art work which method greatly simplifiesthe task and makes it possible to implement by unskilled workers whileat the same time producing a sign or art work of improved appearance andquality.

Further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity inthe claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION .OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention may be morereadily described by reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the complete kit of the invention,showing the indexed album open at the first page and the cover pocketscontaining tools, grid layout sheet and other required materials inplace.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first page of the a]- bum, removedfrom the same, illustrating the method of inserting or removing letteror symbol containing strips from the page.

FIG. 2a is a cross sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line 2a 2a.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the letter or symbol containincontaining before insertion in the page of the album.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the special tool which is utilized inthe process of making signs etc., and is normally contained in the kitor album as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to FIG. 1 illustratingthe method of removing letters or symbols from the strip in the albumpage using the knife end of the special tool.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the knife end of the special tool,supporting a letter which has been removed from its respective page ofthe album.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the grid layout board extended fully on aflat surface with the translucent liner paper temporarily attached toits upper surface, the covered guide lines showing through to allowaligned spacing and temporary attachment of the desired letters to itssurface.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 7 showing a piece ofapplication tape placed over the letters of the sign and hinged to thesurface of the liner paper with the squeegee end of the special tool inposition to cause the letters to be adhered to the adhesive coated underside of the application tape, as shown in turned up position in dottedlines.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view showing the application tape with the lettersof the sign temporarily attached toits under side, secured in alignedrelation on the smooth surface of the sign board with the squeegee endof the special tool in position for causing the letters to bepermanently attached to the smooth surface .of the sign board.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the application tape being removedfrom the completed sign.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly tothe drawings by charactersof reference, FIG. 1 illustrates a completekit 10 which contains all of the necessary elements required to preformthe function of the lettering system or method disclosed.

The kit'comprises a loose leaf binder or album 11 having rigid front andback covers 12 and 13, respectively, which are joined together by thewell known hinge portion 14 employing a rigid binder ring support strip15 on its inner surface. Strip 15 has secured thereto the split binderrings 16 which may be opened or closed to permit removal or insertion ofthe pages of the album.

The inner surfaces of the front and back covers 12 and 13 or the albumare provided with clear plastic pockets 17 and cover flaps l8adapted toprovide storage facilities for the flat materials required in signmaking and other art activites. As shown these pockets house the gridlayout board 19 whichjmay be of a fluorescent material for aiding in themaking of signs by eliminating eye strain, liner paper 20, applicationtape 21, (only shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and I0) and surplus letter or symbolcontaining strips 22. The back cover flap 18 is provided with a formedupwardly extending portion 23 which is cut-away at 24 to provide storagefacility for a special tool 25, the usage of which will be furtherexplained.

The loose leaf binder or album 11 is adapted to receive and contain inremovable relation, a plurality of indexed pages 26, each pagecontaining several replaceable letter or symbol strips 22 providing acomplete assortment of one or more fonts of any size and style includingletters, numerals, punctuation and required symbols in sufficientquanity for extensive use in making signs or preparing copy.

Each individual page 26 of the album 11 is of laminated construction andis preferably fabricated of smooth surfaced plastic material comprisinga fairly rigid bottom sheet 27 and a thinner flexible top sheet 28.These sheets are of the same rectangular shape and size and whensuper-imposed over each other, as shown in enlarged sectional view inFIG. 2a, are laminated into a single page by means of a layer ofsuitable cement or adhesive 29.

The top sheet 28 is provided with one or more rectangular shaped cutouts 30 which extend longitudinally of the sheet each having a width andsize slightly larger than the symbols being used. Each page is providedwith a border of material 31 on the top and bottom and a border ofmaterial 32 on the sides which comprises a part of sheet 28. Each slot30 is separated by a narrow longitudinal strip of material 33 as shownin FIGS. 1 and 2. Each laminated page 26 is provided with an outwardlyextending index tab 34. The tabs are spaced longitudinally one from theother along the edge of the pages to allow for quick reference to thedesired pages of the album.

Referring to FIG. 2a it should be noted that the cement or adhesive 29utilized to laminate the bottom sheet 27 to the top sheet 28 isapproximately the same thickness as the letter or symbol containingstrips 22, and only extends from the outer edges of the page, inwardlyabout three quarters the width of the respective borders 31 and 32 andonly a short distance in the center of the narrow dividing strips 33, toprovide a smooth surfaced clear area or pocket 35 in cut outs 30 betweenthe top and bottom inwardly projecting surfaces of the laminated sheets27 and 28. These pockets are adapted to receive in slidable relation theletter or symbol containing strips 22 and to retain them in theirrespective positions in pages 26 of the album. To provide for easyremoval and replacement of the letter or symbol strips 22, each of therectangular cut outs 30 are widened at their top ends 36 to allow thesymbol bearing strips 22 to be easily inserted under the inwardlyprojecting edges 37 of the top flexible sheet 28. A semi-circular shapedcut out 38 is notched out at the end of each pocket to allow finger ortool access to the symbol bearing strip 22, for easy removal of thesame.

The letter or symbol bearing strips 22 are made of paper or othersuitable material having a silicone like treated surface on its symbolbearing face for easy removal of the letters or symbols mounted thereonand are cut to size for insertion in the pockets of the pages of thealbum. The letters or symbols are die cut, for example, from permanentadhesive backed vinyl or any other opaque or reflective pressuresensitive film which has previously been laminated to the backing paperof which strips 22 are formed. This type of assembly-permits easyremoval of the excess vinyl material from around and between the lettersor symbols by a simple stripping operation leaving the letters orsymbols temporarily attached to the silicone treated face of the strip,as shown in FIG. 3.

A complete font of letters, numerals, punctuation marks and otherrequired symbols, temporarily mounted on the symbol bearing strips 22,installed in their proper retained positions in the plurality of indexedpages of the album 1 1, completes the kit 10, with all components of themulti-purpose, pressure sensitive font lettering system of thisinvention readily available for usage in making signs, preparing copyand other art purposes.

To make a neat, professional appearing sign, or to prepare copy forpermanent or temporary purposes, an unskilled operator would proceed topreform a few simple steps as outlined below:

The first step in using the kit is to remove the grid layout board 19and liner paper 20 from its storage pocket 17 in the cover. Then theuser opens the folded grid layout board and lays the grid layout boardside up on the smooth surface of a work table or counter.

A piece of the translucent liner paper 20 is then attached with itssilicone treated side up to the face of the grid layout board 19 bymeans of masking tape or otherwise, as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings.The translucent liner paper allows the grid lines to show throughthereby providing for accurate alignment of the letters or symbolstemporarily placed thereon.

I Selected pressure sensitive vinyl letters or symbols 39 are thencarefully removed, one by one, from the silicone coated strips 22 fromthe various indexed pages 26 of-the album 11 by means of tool 25, shownin FIG. 5. Tool 25 is provided with a knife like end 25a which picks upand supports the letters or symbols while they are positioned on thesilicone treated surface of the liner paper 20. This operation isrepeated until all the letters or symbols of the desired copy have beenlightly pressed in place on the surface of the liner paper.

Next a piece of application tape 21 of sufficient size to fully coverthe prepared copy is removed from its storage pocket 17 in the album 11and placed with its adhesive coated side down, over and in alignmentwith the copy, as shown in FIG. '8. It may be secured or hinged in thisposition by means of masking tape 21a shown in FIG. 8. The special tool25 isprovided at one end with a removable, replaceable hard rubber orplastic squeegee 25b which is used to lightly bumish the portion of theapplication tape outer surface which covers the copy, thereby causingthe vinyl letters or symbols to adhere to the back, adhesive coated sideof the application tape, in upside down relation as shown in dottedlines in FIG. 8.

With the copy temporarily adhered to the under side of the applicationtape 21 as described, the tape is then removed from the liner paper 20and the grid layout board 19, leaving those elements free for furtheruse.

' posure to which the sign or copy may be subjected to.

The squeegee end portion 25b of the special tool is then again used tofirmly-bumish over the copy containing surface portion of theapplication tape 21, causing the adhesive backed letters or symbols tobe permanently attached in aligned relation to the signboard 40. It isthen only necessary to remove the securing masking tape and strip theapplication tape 21 from the sign or copy as shown in FIG. 10, toproduce the completed neat and professional appearing sign or copy.

It should be recognized that the transfer of the vinyl letters andsymbols from the liner paper to the application tape 21 and,then fromthe application tape to the signboard occurs because of the differencesin the tenaciousness or stickyness of the surfaces involved. Forexample, when the letters or symbols are placed on the silicone surfacedliner paper they adhere lightly thereto. However, when the applicationtape 21 is placed over the letters, as shown inFlG. 8, and .the tape islightly burnished over the letters or symbols they adhere more firmly tothe sticky surface of the application tape than they do to the siliconesurface of the liner paper and thus are lifted off of the liner paperwhen the tape is lifted off of the grid layout board.

When the tape is placed on the signboard the letters and symbols adheremore firmly to the signboard than to the application tape and arereadily removed from the application tape as shown in FIG. 10.

Most of the above described procedure has been directed to the making ofa sign or producing copy intended for permanent use. The letters orsymbols have been applied to a smooth, finished or unfinished surfacedsign material such as cardboard, wood, plastic or in the album forre-use, if so desired.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

1. A kit for making signs comprising a looseleaf binder having a pair ofcovers, hinge means for connecting said covers together, said hingemeans comprising a rigid binder ring support strip on its inner surfaceand at least a pair of split rings which may be opened or closed toremove or insert pages in said binder,

a plurality of pages mounted on said rings between said covers,

each of said pages comprising a pair of laminated sheets sealed togetherin juxtapositioned relationship so as to form a front surface,

the front surface of each pair of laminated sheets of each page beingslotted to form recesses within said page for receiving strips of thinflexible material,

g respectively,

a plurality of strips of thin flexible material adapted to bematinglyreceived one in each of at least some of the recesses in thefront surface of each page,

said strips comprising a flexible base having preformed vinyl symbolsloosely attached thereto,

, each of said strips being removably retained in the recesses of thesurfaces, whereby these symbols can be selectively removed for signmaking purposes,

said pages being indexed and formed of a plastic material,

one of said covers is provided with a pocket,

a hand tool, for removing symbols from said strip, in-

sertable in said pocket.

1. A kit for making signs comprising a looseleaf binder having a pair ofcovers, hinge means for connecting said covers together, said hingemeans comprising a rigid binder ring support strip on its inner surfaceand at least a pair of split rings which may be opened or closed toremove or insert pages in said binder, a plurality of pages mounted onsaid rings between said covers, each of said pages comprising a pair oflaminated sheets sealed together in juxtapositioned relationship so asto form a front surface, the front surface of each pair of laminatedsheets of each page being slotted to form recesses within said page forreceiving strips of thin flexible material, respectively, a plurality ofstrips of thin flexible material adapted to be matingly received one ineach of at least some of the recesses in the front surface of each page,said strips comprising a flexible base having preformed vinyl symbolsloosely attached thereto, each of said strips being removably retainedin the recesses of the surfaces, whereby these symbols can beselectively removed for sign making purposes, said pages being indexedand formed of a plastic material, one of said covers is provided with apocket, a hand tool, for removing symbols from said strip, insertable insaid pocket.